George Clooney was arrested today at protest outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington, DC. He had been addressing crowds in his capacity as president of the campaigning organisation United To End Genocide. His father, who is a radio presenter, and several Democrat politicians were arrested alongside him.
"We need humanitarian aid to be allowed into the Sudan before it becomes the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," said Clooney in a speech before the arrest. He expressed his concern that the coming rainy season could make things drastically worse for people who are already struggling to find enough to eat. Clooney has been campaigning in relation to Sudan for several years and has frequently visited the stricken area.
Police asked the crowd to move on and stepped in to handcuff the speakers when they refused. The arrest follows a meeting between Clooney and President Obama, on Wednesday, to discuss the Sudanese situation.
